The Alberta government is expanding reading and math screening program to Grades 4 and 5 as part of what they state is an effort to identify learning gaps earlier and connect students with additional support.
The new screeners will be introduced in the 2026-27 school year, building on a program already in place from kindergarten through Grade 3.
According to Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, the short assessments can help teachers identify challenges before they become larger problems for students.
“These screeners are short, simple activities that can have a huge impact on identifying and stopping issues with math and reading before they grow into even larger issues down the road for a student,” Nicolaides said.
He announced the province will invest $20 million in screening and intervention supports in 2026-27, an increase of more than 60 per cent from the previous school year.
Nicolaides said the Grade 4 and 5 screeners are designed to be administered to whole classes, which reportedly will make the process faster and more efficient for teachers and schools.
According to provincial officials, early data from the existing program shows that some students who were previously identified as needing additional support no longer required that support when screened again a year later. Depending on the grade and subject, between 30 and 41 per cent of students were no longer identified as needing additional support.
The province says 38 per cent of students identified as needing additional reading support in kindergarten were no longer identified as needing that support when screened again in Grade 1. In math, the figure was 41 per cent.
According to number released by the province, from Grade 1 to Grade 2, 32 per cent of students identified as needing additional reading support in Grade 1 were no longer identified as needing that support a year later. In math, the figure was 36 per cent. From Grade 2 to Grade 3, 30 per cent of students were no longer identified as needing additional reading support a year later, while 38 per cent were no longer identified as needing additional math support.
Additionally it is reported the percentage of Grade 1 to 3 students requiring additional reading or math support has declined compared with fall 2024.
In fall 2025, screening data was collected from about 147,500 Grade 1 to 3 students in reading and 161,000 students in math, according to the province.
Starting in the 2026-27 school year, amendments to Alberta’s Education Act will require school authorities and independent Early Childhood Services operators to share screening results with parents. They will also have to provide screening data to Alberta Education and Childcare and ensure students receive reading and math intervention when screening indicates they are experiencing difficulties.
All Grade 4 and 5 students will be screened in the fall. Students identified as requiring intervention will be screened again in the spring to measure their progress.
Alberta Education and Childcare will publish an annual report summarizing provincial reading and math screening results. The first report is expected in the 2027-28 school year.
The province says the expanded program will help identify learning gaps earlier, give parents a clearer picture of their child’s progress and connect students with support to build strong foundations in reading and math.
